What is the conservation issue?

What we know:

• Structures like dams, culverts, and dykes block the movement of fish (and other species) and energy/matter
• Barriers to connectivity are extensive across Canada
• Barriers removal needed to restore access to important habitat and ecosystem functions
• Restoration projects are expensive

What is the conservation issue?

What we don’t know:

• How many barriers exist in Canada?
• How much habitat is not accessible?
• How do we identify the most important barriers to maximize benefits?

We need comprehensive information to answer these questions

Canadian Aquatic Barriers Database (CABD)

Project Background

• CABD = central pillar of tools to support CWF’s fish passage program
• Identify and prioritize barriers for restoration
• Inspired work of TNC, NCC, and regional/local groups (e.g., NS Adopt a Stream)

Stakeholder Engagement

• User interviews
  • What type of work could the CABD support?
  • What information would be useful?
  • How would users like to access the data?
• Working Group and Technical Advisory Committee

Data Gathering and Sharing

• CABD relies on existing repositories
  • Local in scale
  • Single barrier types
  • No standardization
• CWF offers national coordination without duplicating effort
• Establish reciprocal relationships
  • Share data back to providers

What can the CABD be used for?

1. Habitat status assessments and reporting (watershed → national scales)
2. Informing management and regulatory decisions
3. Restoration planning and prioritization
4. Research and monitoring
5. Education and public outreach

CABD Components

1. Hydrographic networks

2. Barrier data

3. Web map and tools

Barrier Data

• Standardized data structure through engagement
• Current barrier types:
  • Dams (includes some weirs and dykes for now)
  • Waterfalls
  • Fishways (inherited CANFISHPASS from the Cooke lab at Carleton University)
• Future years:
  • Stream crossings (road, rail, trail)
  • Lateral barriers (dykes/levees, embankments, etc.)
  • Others?

 

Barrier Data Processing

Five main steps:

1. Data source compilation
2. De-duplication
3. Spatial attribute mapping
4. Geolocation (including snapping to hydro network)
5. Non-spatial information collection

Attribute mapping

1. Aggregate attributes from existing spatial sources
2. Identification of non-spatial data sources (search engines)

CABD v1.0

Complete national coverage was completed July 2022

Dams Waterfalls Fishways

36,799 22,194 408

CABD v1.0

Are the CABD v1.0 datasets perfect? No!

Phase 1 = compile, deduplicate, and standardize existing datasets

Phase 2 = fill data gaps

• Data gaps exist (structures and attributes)
• But, most comprehensive and standardized datasets available nationally
• CWF, partners, and practitioners across the country can help contribute data and updates

Demo!

Nova Scotia

Dams Waterfalls Fishways

1,362 938 157

Dams in Nova Scotia

Dams in Nova Scotia

Dams in Nova Scotia

Dams in Nova Scotia

NS Data Sources

• NCC’s Aquatic Connectivity Tool
• Nova Scotia Agriculture - Dykeland Sites
• Nova Scotia Environment - Topographics Database (Water Feature Points), Gillian Fielding thesis
• Nova Scotia Power
• CANFISHPASS, Adopt a Stream Fishway inventory
• MR Maps - Waterfalls of Nova Scotia

Next Steps

• Continue information gathering
  • Phase 1: Compile existing datasets
  • Phase 2: Begin to fill data gaps (with input from citizen scientists!)
• Begin integrating stream crossing data into CABD
• Expand features in the web tool
• Develop documentation site (tutorials, metadata, etc.)
• Develop additional tools (e.g., standardized barrier assessment protocols, mobile app, freshwater connectivity toolbox)